1THEN the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead; for raiders had come to the camp and slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 3And he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for he was the son of Ahab's sister. 4He also committed many sins and did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab; for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction,

5Because he walked after their counsel, and went with Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramath-gilead; and the Arameans smote Joram. 6And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which he had received at Ramtha, when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.

7And the destruction of Ahaziah was determined by God, who decreed that he should go to Joram; for when he was come, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu the son of Jamshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab.

8And when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah who ministered to Ahaziah and slew them. 9And he sought Ahaziah and he caught him (for he was hiding in Samaria) and brought him to Jehu; and when they had slain him, they buried him; for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no one with power to rule over the kingdom.

10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the king's sons of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, stole Joash the son of Ahaziah from among the king's sons who were about to be slain, and hid him and his nurse in her bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiadah the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she did not slay him. 12And he was hid with her in the house of the LORD six Years; and Athaliah reigned over the land.